Sorority Recruitment Coach/Consultant

[Anonymous]

I didn't even know that you could hire a "consultant" to help your child get into a sorority.

Bless your heart.

[Anonymous]

Do these kind of consultants even exist? OMG, and I was even in a sorority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.

5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

This is absolutely horrific. Number 3 in particular is awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do these kind of consultants even exist? OMG, and I was even in a sorority.

I don’t know why this is surprising in an area where middle school athletes have “visualization coaches” and kids taking elementary exams for entrance into private schools “prep” with expensive tutors. Maybe you don’t value Greek life (I don’t either), but apparently enough do and it’s created this market, just like paid “home organizers” and personal shoppers. It’s all absurd but here we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.

5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

This is absolutely horrific. Number 3 in particular is awful.

Awful? When you get an invitation, do you note the attire? When you get dressed for any event, do you try to dress appropriately for the occasion? If you had to walk around all day in the heat, would you want to wear something you felt comfortable in? When you interview for a job, do you wear something that gives you confidence?

[Anonymous]

The advice given wrt wardrobe goes far beyond formal/semi formal/cocktail/creative black tie and/or what to wear when it rains. It is about fitting the mold.

That said, Greek life is important to many young women. I don’t get it but I don’t really see the difference between a consultant for this vs a personal shopper vs a college application consultant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do these kind of consultants even exist? OMG, and I was even in a sorority.

I don’t know why this is surprising in an area where middle school athletes have “visualization coaches” and kids taking elementary exams for entrance into private schools “prep” with expensive tutors. Maybe you don’t value Greek life (I don’t either), but apparently enough do and it’s created this market, just like paid “home organizers” and personal shoppers. It’s all absurd but here we are.

I know right?! My coworkers daughter went to expensive private school, had ACT private tutor, 2 subject tutors, private college counselor AND college essay tutor. Also, did expensive sport with 2 different specialty coach -- one mental and one physical. She is now Freshman in college (not playing sport) at college that any public school kid with 1100 on SATs over 3.0 could get into. And this crowd is blasting a one time advisor for a competitive process that few are familiar with that impacts 4 years of college and lifetime connections --- so weird. No skin in game, this is shocking to me that rush is so competitive but hiring a consultant for the process does not seem wacko to me.

[Anonymous]

WTF? They have such a thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:O-M-F-G

This falls into the category of "things I didn't know existed but helps prove the end of civilized society as we know it."

LOL +1

This is why I hate the whole greek life thing. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.


5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

This is absolutely horrific. Number 3 in particular is awful.

So horrific to love the clothes you wear and get them ... tailored!!

[Anonymous]

It is tough at Illinois, 'Bama, Indiana, Florida State and Ole Miss and I think that the advice given by PP is excellent. It rained the day of my fourth stage rush parties and I didn't have an umbrella. Disastrous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What college?

There are campuses where rush is pretty straightforward and this would be massive overkill. And then there are the big southern schools where it may actually be useful.

+1. At a smaller school or a school that is less Greek, it’s not needed. You can find a lot of information on Pinterest/admitted student forums/etc. If the school does formal recruitment in the Spring semester (after they come back from winter break - less common but does happen at some schools), it’s probably not needed there either as your DD will have the whole Fall semester to get acquainted with the chapters on campus.

For a big Greek school though, it might be helpful. But I would still emphasize going into recruitment with a very open mind and not use the the consultant to try to get into one of the three or so top houses. She’ll have an overall better experience if she goes with the best fit house as opposed to gunning for the “top” chapter(s).

OTOH, if the girl is ambitious and really wants a top chapter because she wants that specific experience (social connections and easy access to the “best” guys with the biggest future earning potential), a consultant might be useful.

I say this as someone who knew nothing about Greek Life or how rich people control social networks post college and how disadvantaged you are if you are shut out of those networks.

Are you the batsh*t crazy lady who made my daughter cringe at the idea of joining your vision of the purpose of Greek life? I mean, can you hear yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.

5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

With as much respect as I can muster, this post might be helpful at some schools but, not others. This advice makes my skin crawl with nightmares of reading mean Greek Rank posts geared towards the pageant mom crowd. My DC went through rush with their dignity intact and found their home not using information from the pearls and prunes crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.

5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

With as much respect as I can muster, this post might be helpful at some schools but, not others. This advice makes my skin crawl with nightmares of reading mean Greek Rank posts geared towards the pageant mom crowd. My DC went through rush with their dignity intact and found their home not using information from the pearls and prunes crowd.

And I am sure we are all better for it, bless your heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'll give you advice for free.

1) Letters of recommendation. Google the school your daughter is attending to figure out how many letters per house your daughter needs. Does she have any legacies (sister, you, grandmother, aunt, stepmother, stepsister)?

2) Have your daughter work your/her network to secure the letters she needs. She'll need a "rec packet." This will include her resume, a portrait, a copy of her transcript, a copy of her SAT/ACT scores, and a preadressed and postage-paid, large enough envelope for the person writing the rec to mail all the materials to the sorority. If the rec is being submitted electronically, the person might still need a packet. It depends. You can put everything into a pretty folder with a nice label with your daughter's name.

3) Lots of Panhels have Pinterest pages for recruitment. Use these to brainstorm outfits. Go onto the sororities' Instagrams to see what the actives wear. Make sure your daughter understands and follows the dress code for each round, but also make sure she loves the clothes and jewelry she's wearing. Get everything tailored. Have plans for inclement weather.

4) It's important that your daughter goes in with an open mind. She's going to get rejected from at least one sorority she loves and she's going to gradually fall in love with a house she initially hates. She shouldn't listen to or participate in tent talk during rush.

5) There's nothing about rush small talk that can't be practiced at home. She will have the same conversation 100 times in a row, and she just has to look active and engaged and positive. No controversial subjects. Practice how to respond if a situation makes her uncomfortable.

6) I think it's unwise for her to drastically alter her appearance. She has pink hair? Don't dye it natural brown. She likes to wear rings on four fingers? Don't knock it down to two.

I realize the confines of the event encourage artifice, but as much as possible, she needs to be herself.

Tiers exist, but they're hardly the end all and be all of the Greek experience. Better to be oneself at a "lower" house than maintaining an exhausting facade at an "upper" house. Also, the upperclassmen care far less than the underclassmen. And the alumni networking equalizes everything.

With as much respect as I can muster, this post might be helpful at some schools but, not others. This advice makes my skin crawl with nightmares of reading mean Greek Rank posts geared towards the pageant mom crowd. My DC went through rush with their dignity intact and found their home not using information from the pearls and prunes crowd.

And I am sure we are all better for it, bless your heart.